


Rise from Ruin

by Narina



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, F!Corrin/Shura, F/F, F/M, M!Corrin/Niles, M/M, POV Alternating, all the retainers have roles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-03-03 05:05:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13334094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narina/pseuds/Narina
Summary: When magic destroys the world and the few survivors are scattered, they soon realize that they will need to form new bonds if they are to live. Despite old rivalries, they try to create a new future.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just another random fic idea my head came up with. Lots of worldbuilding, lots of characters. I will try to use almost everyone from the revelations route but the mains are tagged.

The apocalypse came so suddenly, not even the one responsible had predicted it. He had made plans, had worked carefully and knew exactly what was going to happen. Except he hadn’t thought about someone else showing up, causing a magical explosion. And as Anankos was forced to retreat and find the one who had interfered with his powers, the known lands sunk into chaos and destruction. 

~

Peri was having an awful day. One moment, she was on the back of her horse, killing bandits and protecting Lord Xander. The next, she couldn’t breathe. There was mud staining her clothes and hair, she could feel that much. Peri gasped, desperately trying to get some air into her lungs. It was like trying to breathe in the dusted cellars of her old home. Much to her disappointment, they had not offered any interesting secrets. 

“Peri …!” She heard Laslow’s voice but it seemed to come from far away. Was that a hand grasping her arm? Disorientated, Peri tried to get up, feeling pain shoot up her entire body, and cried out. She didn’t see much, only darkness that couldn’t be natural, and a few vague figures. The bandits? Or Laslow and Lord Xander?

Someone hit her on the back hard enough to make her cough. The pain got worse but at least she was able to take a breath of fresh air again. Suddenly, as if it had never been there, the darkness disappeared. It left bare trees and corpses that were rotting too fast. They had set off on a summer’s day but this looked more like a harsh winter. 

“Peri.” Laslow again, this time closer. Considerung he sat just next to her, he had probably been the one to help her. 

“Laslow,” she managed. “What …”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. Suddenly there was magic and … oh gods.”

She barely had time to take a look at the cuts and bruises he had – much less check her own body – before she almost fell down again. Laslow got up, running to where Lord Xander’s horse stood. Or at least he tried to run, it was more of a limp, Peri realized as she used one of her hands to avoid the fall. Her own horse had thrown her off and she had ended up in a puddle that wasn’t even wet from blood. 

Cursing, she got to her feet, grabbing her spear to rely on it as if it was a walking cane. Stupid magic, stupid world. Peri hurried over, ignoring her injuries as she saw the blood. As much as she liked seeing people bleed, this was Lord Xander and he was not to be hurt. She would kill whoever did that. 

Laslow was already there but he struggled with the armour as his own hands were bleeding, too. Peri dropped to her knees and quickly helped him. She really hoped he had packed a potion because there was no healer close by and all she had taken along to the trip were weapons. 

“Some of the bandits just dropped dead,” Laslow mumbled as he actually pulled a vial from his belt and handed it to her. The wound didn’t look too bad but then again, she was no expert and it was awfully close to one of those places that bled out very fast. Peri had tried them all, she knew where they were. “Their clothes could work as bandages.”

“Hurry,” she urged him. At least they were all breathing. Was that true for the bandits as well? She didn’t think she was able to kill anyone just now. Peri tried to be careful as she applied the medicine to the wound. She still spilled some of it and cursed again. 

“Are they all dead?” She looked up as Laslow returned, wrapping a strip of relatively clean cloth around his wounded hand. Together, they worked on bandaging Lord Xander. 

“Yeah. Maybe we have a better magical resistance. That was some pretty bad stuff, I have never seen anything like it before.”

Peri frowned. “I don’t like this. I can’t just stab magic.”

He let out a small laugh, closing his eyes to take a deep breath. “But you can probably stab the magician. Let’s make camp here, we won’t get anywhere right now. And then we’ll have to find out what happened.” 

~

Camilla was high in the air when magic took the land. She didn’t see it spread because there was no starting point. The dark energy just suddenly appeared, consuming everything that wasn’t strong enough. She saw trees die more easily than in a storm, saw grass wither like in the summer heat. Birds stopped singing, children stopped laughing. 

“Selena!” Beruka got in her way before she could get down. Camilla glared at her retainer. “We have to find her!”

“Milady …” Even the wind had died and Beruka’s soft words were clear among the chaos. “We cannot help her right now. She is strong.”

Closing her eyes, she clenched a fist around her wyvern’s reins. Beruka was right, of course, but Camilla didn’t want to imagine her retainer, her friend, being stuck in that magic. It was bad enough to witness the silence fading into screams. 

“Selena …,” she whispered, taking deep breaths. When the darkness cleared, the landscape looked barren. Somehow she doubted there were many survivors, but Selena had to be among them. With Beruka by her side, she set off to look for a spark of bright red. They hadn’t been far apart and with so many plants dead, it wasn’t hard to spot something. 

Camilla felt the wind in her hair and couldn’t even enjoy it. She got off her wyvern’s back before it landed, stumbling a little because she hadn’t expected the ground to be so soft. Everything looked awful and harsh, softness did not belong here. “Selena.” She knelt down, relieved to feel her retainer’s pulse. Beruka circled above them, keeping watch although Camilla doubted there was still any danger out there. 

“Kjelle …”

She tilted her head to one side. Who was Kjelle and why did this person matter to Selena? “Can you hear me, dear?” She brushed some lose strands out of Selena’s face, checking for injuries. None of them seemed dangerous, so she considered getting her on the wyvern to get out of here. But flying with two people was easier when both were conscious. 

“Lady Camilla?” Selena whispered these words, a frightened look in her eyes. 

“I’m here, don’t worry. Are you okay?”

“It’s like the world ended again.”

“Again? Selena, dear, do you need something?”

“No.” Selena sat up, staring at the ground. “I’m sorry, it just brought back unpleasant memories of home.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Camilla pulled her into a brief hug. “Are you fit to travel? This stretched to the horizon and I need to check on my dear siblings.”

“Of course.” Selena stumbled a little, but she managed to stand without help. Such a relief. Camilla hated to see people she cared for hurt. “Let’s find the others.”

~

They were on their way to a village when the magic appeared, throwing them all to the ground. It washed over them like a wave, too warm to be comfortable, too tickling to cause pain. Niles groaned, pushed himself off the ground and tried to take a look but whatever magic this was, it was thicker than most fogs he had ever witnessed. Lord Leo’s horse whickered, Odin complained about foul trickery and Leo already tried mumbling a counter spell. Somehow, Niles doubted there was a way to counter this. 

It vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. Sure, it was cloudy now and they sat on a dry field full of withered corn instead of one in full bloom, but he wasn’t going to complain. This magic had probably caused a lot more damage otherwise and he had no desire to spend more time in its presence. He got up, walked a little up the hill and froze in his place.

“Wow, didn’t think I would survive the end of the world.”

“Could you please not be dramatic?” Leo looked up, furrowing his brows. “That’s Odin’s job.”

Odin didn’t complain. After all, everyone knew his flair for the dramatic speeches.

“Well, what else does this look like?” Niles knew he couldn’t speak for the entire country of Nohr but what he saw was like he imagined the apocalypse. Everything was dead or dying, houses ruined, the village empty. At least that was what he saw from here. 

“It can’t be … oh.” Leo stopped next to him, turning as if the other direction looked better. It didn’t, Niles had already checked. They were lone survivors in the destruction. “I suppose it is that bad.”

“Perfect.” Niles grinned. “It’s just like the stories. Where do we go?”

“You sound a little too enthusiastic.” Leo turned to his horse, checking for injuries. The animal seemed frightened but mostly unharmed which was probably good. He knew his lord hated walking. 

“Sorry, I grew up in the slums. Stories like that were some kind of utopia back then.”

“And now?”

Niles shrugged. “That depends. It would be quite boring if we were the only people left alive. But I suppose there are others, we just need to find them and make sure they are worthy of our support.”

~

She was too close to the capital. Elise heard something like thunder from the ground and her eyes widened. Her retainers called her name but she couldn’t see them, couldn’t see anything except for the city falling apart. And the rubble that was being thrown into her direction.

Elise wanted to get back to her horse, wanted to flee and at the same time help the people, but she couldn’t move. And suddenly, someone slammed into her, providing a shield as stone hit metal. Effie. She heard her cry out in pain because whatever was happening was too much even for the strongest woman there was. Elise felt tears in her eyes but she couldn’t move because Effie was still shielding her from the destruction and because everything was suddenly too dark. 

She didn’t know how long she remained in that position, unable to do anything, until there was light again. Arthur’s face was a welcome sight and she hugged him, still in tears, before turning around to Effie. She was breathing, the stones hadn’t done much damage, but the magic had been bad. “Where’s my staff?”

“Right here, milady.” Arthur handed it to her and she smiled. He had even made sure her horse was still there. Carefully, she moved closer to Effie, closing her eyes as she healed her retainer. As long as that kept her busy, she didn’t have to think about the capital, the palace, the people. Her family. Her heart stuttered and she felt new tears well up but she continued taking care of Effie until her retainer stirred. 

“Oh, Effie.” Elise dropped the staff and hugged Effie, who returned that without her usual force. Which was probably good, now that Elise took a look at herself, she saw torn clothes, a few cuts and bruises and lose hair. 

“We have to go.” Effie already got up again, not letting a few injuries weigh her down. “You are not safe here, milady.”

“But the people!” Elise wanted to run towards the capital but even from this distance, she realized that was no capital to come back to. Everything was in ruins, but maybe there were survivors that had been just outside the destruction, like her. “We need to check if anyone else is alive around here,” she insisted, crossing her arms. Compared to her retainers, she felt tiny. Still, they both sighed in relief, helped her back on her horse and got moving. Her siblings couldn’t be dead, she would search all of Nohr if she had to.


	2. Chapter 2

The first survivor she found was a stranger from Hoshido. At least she thought the woman was alive, her pegasus didn’t let Camilla get any closer and she hastily retreated as it tried to attack her.

“Let me.” 

Camilla stared in surprise as Selena stepped forward, mumbling something in a language that wasn’t from Nohr or Hoshido. The pegasus still looked nervous, but it lowered its head and allowed Selena to pet it. “That’s better,” she mumbled, barely audible. “We don’t want to hurt you, just help your master here.”

“My, where did you learn that?”

Selena gave her a brief smile. “My mother taught me. I was never a great rider myself, but …” She shook her head and Camilla got the hint. Selena’s past was a mystery and she didn’t want to press her retainer. Instead, she finally moved over to the stranger, feeling a stable pulse, although the breathing was a bit weak. 

“Get away from her!”

A man had appeared, clad like a monk and with a staff in his hand. He looked angry and Camilla carefully raised her hands. “I am not trying to harm her.”

“I said get away from her, Nohrian Scum!” The man looked like he knew how to use that weapon he carried. Camilla sighed, getting up to take a step back. At the same time, Beruka had her knife at his throat. 

Before things could escalate, she decided to interfere. “Enough!”

Beruka glared at the man, but she backed away, retreating to where Selena was still trying to calm the pegasus. 

“Look, I don’t know who you are. But if I were Nohrian Scum, I would’ve killed you already.”

“Ha.” He walked closer, still watching her as if she had killed someone. So he had no idea what had happened. Camilla had travelled half the continent since the magical outburst and every place had looked the same. “You caused this and now you are trying to kill the princess because you didn’t succeed.”

“I would laugh if you weren’t so serious about this.” Camilla shook her head. “This is everywhere. No magic in Nohr could’ve caused this and it didn’t stop at man-made borders.” She crossed her arms. “If you don’t believe me, wake up your princess and ask her for a ride.”

For a moment, he kept glaring. She knew how ridiculous her story sounded but she had no other way to convince him. Somehow she doubted he would allow her or Beruka to show him. 

“You really mean this.” It was like he took a first real look at them, at Selena’s wounds and their weapons. Neither of them had a tome. “So this wasn’t an invasion?”

“No.” She dared to step closer again, nodding to her retainers. They were ready to attack but there was no need yet. “This has destroyed the world. It has spread in Hoshido and Nohr and if we keep accusing each other, more people will end up dead.”

He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. She wasn’t sure he believed her, he probably needed proof, but he didn’t say anything else against her presence. Instead, he knelt down to take care of this princess. Camilla had only heard stories, but she guessed this was Hinoka, the older one. Sakura had to be more of Elise’s age. 

“Ouch.”

“Ah, Princess Hinoka.” The man seemed relieved. “It seems we have different problems than expected.”

“I can see that.”

“He doesn’t mean me, darling.” Camilla chuckled. “At least I hope so. “I am Camilla of Nohr, though I am afraid that without a kingdom, that title is meaningless.”

“What do you mean?”

“Princess Camilla claims that this dark magic has taken Nohr as well.”

“And you believe her?”

Camilla laughed. “No, he didn’t. So why don’t you both take a look? We’re close to the border; the destruction is visible from the air.”

Hinoka didn’t seem convinced but she also didn’t protest. That was probably good. “Alright. But if your claim is false …”

“You will come back to kill me.” She smiled. “Yes, dear. I do hope you come back with a little more trust. In the meantime, my darling retainers will set up a campfire. I do believe Beruka made a kill earlier?”

Beruka grumbled something but moved to her wyvern. Selena, who handed the reins to Hinoka, followed her. It had been nice to discover that not every animal was dead, at least they would have food. 

~

The village had offered food to last them for a few weeks but that had been it. After a quick discussion, they had decided to go north. Niles had wanted to go to the capital, hopefully seeing the slums in ruins, but Leo had said he wasn’t ready. So now they were on their way to find Corrin and Corryn and Niles still wondered who had been in charge of naming them. They were twins, but that didn’t have to mean their names had to sound identical, did it?

“Do I hear an approach?”

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t answer Odin. Instead, he listened, looking around, trying to define the sound there was. “Riders,” he finally stated. “Two, I would say. I am not sure if they are coming to us, maybe they are just looking for survivors as well.”

“We need to talk to them. They could be from Nohr. We might know them.”

Niles wasn’t too enthusiastic but he agreed and followed Leo. Luckily, the others turned out to be no strangers. But Leo’s smile upon seeing his older brother faded as he realized what state he was in. Niles had never really talked to Lord Xander or his retainers, but Peri clung to her saddle and Laslow had to sit behind Xander to prevent him from falling. 

“Oh gods, what happened?”

“That magic.” Peri frowned, stopping her horse. Neither of them looked willing to travel any farther today. “Didn’t you see it?”

“It didn’t affect us as much,” Niles explained as both Leo and Odin helped Laslow with Xander. The crown prince was unconscious and had a bad wound close to his stomach but he was alive. Though Niles doubted he would last long without a healer. “But it is everywhere.”

Laslow and Odin looked at each as if sharing their secret again. Neither of them had a past known to Niles and he still wanted to reveal that secret. Not today, though, they had more urgent matters to tend to. 

“How many survivors are there?” Laslow didn’t look at them, he just changed Lord Xander’s bandages and Niles saw his hands shaking. Considering how awfully quiet Odin had been during these past hours, he was sure that both of them had experienced something similar. As curious as he was, Leo would be mad if he asked his questions right now. 

“We haven’t met anyone else.” Leo got down next to Xander, not knowing how to react. Niles knew he was used to having his big brother being the strong one. Now that Xander was injured, Leo had to be responsible for him. “We were heading towards the Northern Fort.”

“We have no plans.” Peri sighed, leaned against a dead tree and winced slightly. She tried not to show her wounds but Niles knew they had to be there. “But we need to get help for Lord Xander.”

“If the Fort still offers shelter, Jakob should be there.” Niles turned away from the group to keep watch. Who knew what else this magic could offer? Maybe monsters would show up soon. He didn’t want to go into battle unprepared. 

“How did that happen?” Odin didn’t sound dramatic and that worried Niles more than anything else. What was going on?

“We were fighting bandits when we were surprised by the magic.” Laslow’s voice was exhausted, so Niles guessed he really was the only one able to stand watch. Fun. “I think one of them stabbed Lord Xander before dying, when we were able to see again, they were all dead.”

“Interesting.” Niles’ hand hovered over the quiver, he was ready to fire at anything strange that moved out there. But it was eerily quiet. “We should rest.” He paused as he spotted something. Not an enemy, just a deer. His one eye was good enough to see that. “Quiet,” he said before any of the others could speak. He ducked, got closer to the deer and fired the deadly arrow as soon as he was in range. They had food from the village but fresh meat couldn’t be wrong. Lord Xander would need his strength. 

“Thank you, Niles.” Leo gave him a brief smile before returning his attention to his brother. “We will stay the night,” he decided. “Tomorrow, we will keep looking for other people.”

~

Elise held her tears back as they left the capital behind. There had been no chance to try and safe anyone and she clung to her horse’s saddle, determined to be strong. Effie and Arthur walked with her, securing the surroundings.

“Wait.” She sat up a little straighter, startling her retainers as she nudged her horse to move faster. There was something, a movement. Elise left the street to ride into the dark woods, to find out who was there. 

“Mylady!” She heard the voices of her retainers but she ignored them because by now, she was able to see a horse without a rider. There had to be a person somewhere and even if there wasn’t, she couldn’t leave the animal out here alone. Somewhere in the area, something growled. Elise shivered, stopped her horse and jumped off. That was always easier than getting on. 

Her injuries caused some new pain as she got to the ground but she still managed to stay strong. “Hey horsie.” She smiled, gently touching the animal’s soft nose. It was unharmed but she heard someone moving close by. Behind her, Effie and Arthur finally caught up.

“Lady Elise, be careful.”

“Aw, don’t worry.” She pouted back at them. “The horsie is nice and ... oh gods, see?” She pointed to the figure on the ground, clad in Nohrian armour and not moving. “We have to help!”

Hastily, she knelt down. She was sure she had seen the guy before but she didn’t know his name. To her relief, his injuries weren’t too bad, he mostly had a bad concussion. Elise grabbed her staff to heal him, well aware of her retainer’s wary gazes. “There, all healed up.” She grinned, sat back and watched as the stranger slowly opened his eyes again. 

“Ow.” He sat up, groaned and started looking around.

“Hey!” She got up, not wanting to upset her retainers by staying too close. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, thank you.” He took a few deep breaths before he looked at her. “You are Princess Elise, right?”

“Yup, that’s me. These are my retainers, Effie and Arthur.” She introduced them with wide gestures and a smile. “Are you alone?”

“Yes. My name is Silas, I was on my way north and …” He shrugged. “Do you know what happened?”

“No.” Elise lowered her head, suddenly reminded of the sadness. “But we found you, so that’s one more survivor. And we also need to go north.”

“Do we, mylady?”

“Yes, Effie.” She smiled again. “Maybe someone is still in the fortress. We need to find my siblings.”

“I will gladly accompany you.” Silas was standing by now and his horse walked over to him. “I knew Corryn in her childhood and though I never got very close with her brother, I want to see that they’re both safe.”

“Awesome!” Elise managed to get back into the saddle without needing any help. Though she had to admit, she was getting more and more tired and her bruises hurt worse than before. She wanted to rest but that was not an option for now. She needed to find more survivors and she refused to give up hope.


	3. Chapter 3

Takumi stumbled through the dark forest and he wanted to shoot something. Or someone. There was nothing left alive except for himself and his retainers. Oboro had a nasty cut and Hinata supported her, but at least they hadn’t gotten separated. After finding an abandoned village a few hours ago, they had not seen any sign of civilization. 

“Are we even still in Hoshido?” That was Hinata, finally speaking after hours of silence. Takumi shrugged. He doubted it – these forests were too dark and twisted, too cold to be anything but Nohrian. Then again, that magic had messed with everything. It could have affected the beautiful springs and clearings of Hoshido.

“We have to keep going,” he said. “We’ve come too far to go back through that nothingness.”

“You’re the boss.” Oboro grinned but he knew she needed a break. He just wished they wouldn’t have to rest out in the open. If this really was Nohr, there could be all kinds of monsters. 

“We will see if we can find reliable shelter.” It was getting dark anyway. Not that the day had been nice, everything had stayed grey, as if buried under layers and layers of ancient dust. Takumi knew it wasn’t ancient, had just begun with that magical outburst. And now they were stuck in an apocalypse worthy of legends and he had to make sure his companions stayed alive. This was less responsibility than he had always wanted and more than he was used to. If he found the scum responsible, they would pay.

~

A girl stumbled onto the clearing. Camilla wanted to find a better word, but the girl literally fell over her own feet, somehow managing to keep holding on to her bow. She raised an eyebrow, motioned for Beruka to stay alert and for Selena to keep an eye on the food. 

As she got up, the girl raised her weapon. She was a little older than Camilla had first thought, though younger than herself. And she bore the crest of Hoshido.

“Who are you? What have you done to mylady?”

“I assume you are looking for certain red-haired princess.” Camilla eyed her closely. That bow could be dangerous but she would have her disarmed before anything could happen. She just hoped that wouldn’t be necessary, Hinoka certainly wouldn’t approve. “She’s scouting. With that monk, but they should be back soon. Why don’t you join us for dinner?”

“I’m supposed to trust you?”

“Well, you can keep sulking around the trees. But that won’t help anyone. And if Hinoka doesn’t return, you can still try to kill us.”

The girl didn’t seem to be convinced, but she nodded. Camilla waved her over to the fire, glad the dead wood was still good enough to burn and offer warmth. Darkness was falling too fast, so she got a little closer to Beruka who just accepted that with a huff. Just minutes later, the faint sound of wings was to be heard, feathers rustling in the wind. 

“Ah, there they are.” Camilla smiled and in the last light of day, Hinoka joined them again. She appeared to be shaken, but not enough to ignore her retainer. She briefly hugged the girl before facing the Nohrian group.

“You were right,” she said. “I’m sorry I doubted you.”

“You had every reason to doubt me, dear.” Camilla sighed. “As glad as I am you’re not trying to kill me, I don’t know if my darling siblings are still alive.”

“We can look for them,” Hinoka offered, blushing a little. “I mean … I need to find my siblings, too. If we look together, that’s better, right?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “Come now, join us. The food is ready and we won’t get anything done in the darkness. We need to find a proper base tomorrow.”

“You’re right.” Hinoka got closer. “Azama, Setsuna … don’t be shy. If they wanted to kill us, they would’ve had many chances.”

Camilla chuckled. Being reasonable suited Hinoka and she moved over a little to give her more space. She had yet to figure out how touchy she could get with this princess, her retainers, on the other hand, were used to having her close. “You have three siblings, right?”

“Well, yes, but there is also Azura. We need to find her, too.”

“Oh.” Camilla’s eyes widened a little and she quickly busied herself with the food. “I didn’t know she was in Hoshido. Is she alright?”

“I suppose. She was when I last saw her. Do you know her?”

“Yes, she spent some time in Nohr.” Camilla sighed. “We were never allowed to get close to her and one day, she was gone. I’m happy to hear she had a nice home.”

“I’m sure we will find her again.” Hinoka’s energy was almost contagious. “We’re six now, we can cover a lot of ground. And our siblings are strong, right?”

“Right.” She resisted the urge to take Hinoka’s hand. Maybe that would be a little too forward. “I’m glad we’ll be working together, dear.”

~

They had settled in a hut that was too small for six people and three horses. Niles had spent most of the night on the roof, enjoying the stars. At least they hadn’t changed, they were as beautiful as ever and the moon seemed to have been even brighter than before. Now, as morning dawned, he woke up Leo.

“What is it?”

“We should scout the area. See if there’s a source of fresh water, because if there isn’t, we’ll need to move again.”

“And you need me for that.”

“Well, you are a prince.” He grinned. “So if we meet anyone, you can order them around.”

“Niles.”

“Besides, we might need your horse to carry stuff and if you expect me to put up with Peri, I’ll have to disappoint you.”

“Oh, fine. Just let me get some breakfast.”

He nodded, already setting off to check on Leo’s horse and their belongings. Something seemed to move in the woods, stirring and rising, and he certainly expected them to run into some monsters. If that happened, at least Leo would be able to get away and warn the others.

A little while later, the sun looked surreal because it was shrouded by clouds again, they left their small camp, heading west to see if there was a passage. They did find a monster soon, but it was young and weak and died in Brynhildr’s roots before Niles could fire one of his arrows. He nodded a thanks and moved on, taking in the deserted landscape.

“How much farther do you want to go?”

The sun, obscured to a dim source of light, was already high in the sky as Leo finally asked that question. Niles shrugged, pausing and listening. No wind, no birds, no sound of water or animals. But there was something and he closed his eye, trying to determine where it came from. “South,” he said before Leo could ask any other question.

“Niles, are you alright?”

“I’m sorry, mylord.” He grinned again. “There are more riders approaching from the south. Since we are in Nohrian territory and the monsters don’t have horses, they could be allies.”

“That would be good.” Leo sat up a little straighter as if that would improve his vision. With all these twisted trees and withering branches, with all the crawling roots and rotting twiners, nobody was able to see much. Niles hated it as much as his lord did. “Still, we should hide.”

“A wise decision.” Niles watched Leo lead his horse behind a small formation of rocks. Afterwards, he climbed on of the more healthy trees, hoping the branches wouldn’t break. He had no trouble waiting but from up here, he saw Leo pacing, running a finger over Brynhildr’s cover or mumbling silent spells. 

He was relieved when the riders finally got closer – close enough to see they were indeed allies, Leo’s little sister among them. With one swift motion, Niles got down from the tree to wait for them. Leo quickly joined him, but on foot this time. The horse was still hidden behind the rocks. 

“Elise!” There was joy on his lord’s face and Niles retreated a little, giving the siblings time to reunite. He was glad to be out of the way because Elise practically flung herself from the horse and into her brother’s arms, crying. 

“Oh, new allies.” That was a knight in dark armour, one Niles didn’t know. He couldn’t have been at court often. He did know Elise’s retainers who relaxed visibly now that their lady was a little safer again. “Are you alone?”

“We have an improvised camp but it’ll take a few hours to get there. Lady Elise, you might want to choose a later hour to keep hugging poor Leo. We need to get going and I’m sure Lord Xander would appreciate those healing powers of yours.”

“Xander is injured?” Elise’ eyes widened in shock, especially when Leo nodded. “We have to go!”

“I would send you ahead but I am not sure my Lord will find the way back.” 

Leo looked as if he wanted to shoot magic at him for his smirk. He decided against it – because it was true and because Niles’ resistance was too high. Since they had no chance of going faster – Lady Elise’s retainer had armour that was too heavy for any horse – he settled for moving right away. If they didn’t want to get lost, they would have to follow him. 

~

Peri glared at the monster, gripping her spear. She had just wanted to take a quick walk, to get out of the hut, and now there was a dark figure crashing through the dry bushes. Laslow and Odin were still in the hut, quietly discussing something while taking care of Lord Xander. Peri knew she was no help to them, so she had decided to test how well her own wounds were healing. The thing didn’t look human but it looked killable and so she approached it. Any threat had to die right away. 

The thing jumped and she laughed because it was too clumsy. That was almost boring, she put the spear through its neck and saw it twitch before it stilled completely. Then it vanished and Peri pouted. “I wanted a trophy! Stupid monsters.”

Despite the disappointment, she kept her guard up. Darkness was falling too soon and she did not expect every monster to be this stupid. Maybe some would actually be dangerous and maybe some would even leave trophies. For now, she had to stay and keep watch until Leo and Niles returned with hopefully good news. 

As the sun set, Peri sat down in front of the hut, her spear ready. Her leg was hurting again and she couldn’t even rely on the thrill of killing to make it go away for a while. With a sigh, she stared into the forest. The other survivors better hurried up in getting here.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm slowly getting them all together, yay me.

The explosion seemed to have shifted the mountains themselves. Then again, Camilla didn’t know when she had last visited them. Had they always looked so jagged and harsh, so unforgiving? Flying made it easy to cross them, but they saw abandoned villages and a few castles, destroyed by some force that could only have been the recent outburst of magic. 

“We need to find a place for the night.”

Camilla nodded as Hinoka called over. They had sent Beruka and Setsuna south, to explore the rest of the border. Half of the time, neither one of the princesses knew which country they were in. Not that it mattered, politics were the least important thing right now. Survival was first and Hinoka was right. 

“There’s a cave, I think.” Selena didn’t speak much these days, but when she did, she sounded even more grumpy than usual. Camilla was worried about her retainer but she also knew that Selena cared deeply for Laslow and Odin. Finding them would hopefully mean finding her siblings and Camilla was in for that.

The cave was more of a small hole in the mountain that probably hadn’t been there a week before. It was big enough for the four of them, but not for their mounts. Camilla had never seen a wyvern and a pegasus so close together but at least they hadn’t tried to kill each other. Yet. Maybe there were too exhausted from carrying two riders all the time. 

“Better than nothing.” Camilla didn’t mind sharing a small space with her retainer and she certainly didn’t mind being close to Hinoka. Azama had mostly given up on his threats and resolved to taking the first watch, which left the three women with a little more comfort. Camilla was even able to stretch, though she did not give up her armour. Who knew what lurked within the mountains and forests? Just earlier, they had encountered a group of monstrous mutations while taking a break by a stream. 

It had been quiet at first. Now, there were noises. Things breathed and moved, too far away to be a danger, too close to get enough sleep. There weren’t many humans left, she supposed, and those that couldn’t defend themselves would soon be dead. Camilla wondered how many corpses they would have to find, how many friends they would have to bury. She had killed when she had been a small child, always to defend herself or her family. How she would react if one of them died, she didn’t know. 

It was a relief when Beruka and Setsuna returned along with the morning sun. Camilla had rested for a bit, had kept watch and had basically ordered Selena to get some sleep. Now they were all awake and the horrified look on Beruka’s face made Camilla flinch. 

“What happened?” She had never seen Beruka like this and though she didn’t know Setsuna, the girl was actually displaying an emotion. 

“The canyon is gone.”

Camilla blinked, glanced over to Hinoka and back to her retainer. Beruka’s wyvern busied herself with some leftovers, eyed by the pegasus. “What do you mean?”

“We were looking for the Bottomless Canyon, just like we were told,” Setsuna began. Despite the look, she sounded as bored as ever. “But it’s not there anymore.”

“How can a canyon just vanish?” Hinoka shook her head and they all flinched as something roared in the nearby valley. 

“No idea.” Beruka shrugged. “But I know what I’m doing and there was no canyon. There was unknown land, with buildings unlike any I’ve seen in Nohr or Hoshido.”

It made no sense. Countries didn’t just emerge from canyons and yet … “It would explain the magic.” Camilla sighed, the roaring got closer. “If some force hid a country within the canyon and now it came back … well, it would require a lot of magic and that would explain the destruction.”

“But why would anyone hide a country in the first place?” Hinoka’s frown was cute and sadly not the most important thing right now. “And how is it in no official record?”

She shrugged. “We might find out if we survive long enough.”

~

Elise hid her hands in her lap so that no one saw them shaking. She had healed Xander and he had to be fine but she wasn’t entirely sure and she was exhausted. Part of her wanted to leave the small hut, to stop looking at her brother’s pale face, to get some fresh air. But outside was were most of her friends were, where they talked and guarded and hunted. Elise was not sure she could face them without crying, not as long as Xander was still unconscious. 

“Hey!”

So much for peace and quiet. At least it was Peri, cheerful as ever, who walked into the room. Elise looked up, managed a small grin and only winced a little when she grasped the fabric of her dress a little too tight. She had channelled enough healing energy to burn her hands, but if that was the price for her brother’s life, she was willing to pay it. It was about time she proved herself. 

“How is he?” Peri crouched down, her spear in one hand. Surprisingly, there was no blood on it. 

“Better, I think.”

Peri hummed a little, watching Xander’s face and then carefully checking his wounds. As a child, Elise had been afraid of her brother’s retainer. Peri was violent and cruel but when it came to protecting her liege, she was amazing, sometimes even sweet. “He looks better. All this blood – it got me worried because it wasn’t from the bad guys.”

Elise shivered. “How are things outside?”

“Boring.” Peri looked up and pouted. “Those monster thingies don’t bleed, it’s no fun killing them.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that. Luckily, Xander chose that moment to slowly open his eyes and Elise felt new tears well up. “Big brother!” She lunged forward, hugging him tightly and causing him to a slight groan. 

“Elise?” he mumbled, his voice hoarse. She quickly backed up, glad to see that Peri was already handing him some water and helping him to sit. “What?”

“Drink,” Elise said, clinging to his hand. “Peri, can you get Leo?”

“Sure!” As soon as she was out of the room, Elise hugged her brother again. She had only arrived a short time ago but she had been so worried. Xander, like Camilla, had always been there as a protector, her entire life. And now this … she tried not to cry more as she remembered Camilla was still missing. 

“You’re up.” Leo closed the door and got closer, though, unlike herself, he didn’t openly show his relieve. He just sat down, smiled and put a hand on Xander’s shoulder.

“What happened?” Xander, despite the injury and after being unconscious for days, was back to being the crown prince. He always had to know what was going on and Elise wished she had answers.

“How much do you remember?” Leo was doing the talking and she just curled up next to her brothers, trying to feel like the little girl she used to be. But Camilla was missing, they were in the middle of nowhere and so many people had already died. 

“I remember fighting outlaws when an outburst magic took us by surprise.”

Leo nodded. “We all felt that, as far as we know, it happened all over the country. Laslow and Peri said you were stabbed and you have been unconscious ever since. If we hadn’t met Elise …” He didn’t finish that sentence and she saw the hint of tears as he hastily blinked to remain calm. She wanted to tell him that it was okay to cry but Leo wouldn’t understand. 

“I thank you.” Xander tried to get up but Elise stopped him and he frowned as he felt her touch. “What happened to you?”

She tried to hide her hands but he was stronger and gently pulled them up to take a look at them. It looked worse than it felt, she realized as Leo drew in a sharp breath. “It’s nothing,” she mumbled, but she was avoiding eye contact and she knew they didn’t believe her. “I had to heal you!” 

“Oh, Elise.” Xander’s hand brushed through her hair and pulled her closer. This time, she allowed herself to cry freely. This was a victory, a small one, but still comforting. They would keep going and they would find Camilla, too. 

~

She was exhausted. Ever since leaving the fortress, she had been up, trying to help those around her and especially the twins. Flora yawned, gave Jakob a reassuring smile and kept going. All the years she had spent watching Corrin and Corryn, they seemed so easy now. 

She shivered as she remembered the outburst. Cracks had appeared everywhere, walls falling down, turning to dust. They had all made it outside, even Gunter’s horse, but the twins had barely been conscious. And then they had changed, turned into dragons to attack everything in their surroundings and she had to freeze them to stop their rampage. It had worked, they were back in their human form but everyone had been on edge ever since. 

“There’s someone!”

Flora stopped, saw Felicia and Jakob draw their daggers while Gunter readied his axe. The twins, on the other hand, moved forward, crouching down behind some bushes to watch. After everything that happened, they were still excited to be out in the world and meet new people. 

“Be careful,” she hissed.

“I see two people, but I think one of them is wounded.” Corryn was many things but careful. She was too loud, moved too fast. But then again, Flora knew the princess just wanted to help strangers and she sighed. 

“We have to help them!”

“We don’t even know who they are. This could be a trap.” She agreed with Gunter, but that didn’t stop the twins from walking out of the bushes. Flora really wanted to slap them. Instead, she just put a hand to her face and decided to follow them, keeping an eye on the surroundings. 

Okay, so, one of the men was obviously wounded. The other one glared at them, a mask hiding half of his face. One look at the wounded man was enough to know that he had to be a noble, maybe even a royal from Hoshido. If that was true, he wouldn’t be travelling with only one retainer. So where was the other one?

“Do you need help?” Corrin walked forward, not bothered by the glare that could probably melt her ice magic. Flora didn’t like that. “Jakob can heal!”

The stranger still glared but something changed in his eyes. He couldn’t deny the need of a healer but if he was from Hoshido, he was in enemy territory. “Who are you?”

“I’m Corrin. And my sister is Corryn, too, but with a y.”

The stranger raised an eyebrow, curiosity in his eyes. “Are you now?” He nodded slowly. “I think it’s safe,” he said, directed to a thicker part of the bushes. Unsurprisingly, someone else showed up, a woman that looked no less deadly than her partner. Flora sighed. 

“Alright,” she said. “I’m really not keen on working with you, but I also don’t want to leave and then watch my back in case you come after us. So how about we make this a temporary alliance?” She wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. Then again, she would rather have these strangers helping them through the apocalypse than making them their enemies. “I’m Flora, this is my sister Felicia,” she tried for a friendly start.

“Saizo,” the man introduced himself. “And Kagerou. If you help Lord Ryoma, we will help you.”


	5. Chapter 5

Takumi wanted to curse when the first person he spotted wore Nohrian clothing. He gripped his bow tighter, automatically going into attack stance as the stranger approached, both of his retainers following his example. They were in an abandoned village, the walls of the houses smeared with dark magic. Some tables still held the last meals their residents had ever taken, rotting but without insects. The only living thing they had met since the outburst had been a creature wanting to kill them. 

And now there was this guy. He carried a tome that radiated darkness and Takumi wondered if he had anything to do with this. Maybe he was now checking if there were any survivors he still had to kill. From a Nohrian, he expected anything. 

Slowly stepping out of the building they had been hiding in, he ducked behind a few crates and readied his bow. If he got the first chance to attack, he might gain the upper hand in this fight. He just needed to relax – the stranger wasn’t alone, there was another mage with him and Takumi hoped he could be fast enough. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

He gasped at the voice close to his ear, whirling around but managing to keep hold of the Fujin Yumi. “What do you want?”

The man raised an eyebrow and now that he got a closer look, Takumi saw white hair and an eyepatch. He also saw a bow instead of a tome although this man seemed to be with the other two. “Well, I want to stop you from trying to kill my lord, of course. The question is, why did you want to shoot him?”

“I … he’s the enemy!” He looked around but couldn’t see Hinata or Oboro. Where were they? Had there been more ambushers?

“Really? I mean, you are obviously Hoshidan but we were just trying to find some supplies.”

“Please.” Takumi snorted as the mages got closer. They didn’t kill him, yet. Did they want to torture him first? “You caused this, why wouldn’t you be my enemy?”

“That’s interesting. I didn’t know I could do something like this.” That was the guy he had first seen. Now that he was close, Takumi realized he couldn’t be older than himself. Still, his tome looked dangerous.

“Then who did?”

“If we knew that, we wouldn’t be standing here.”

And he was supposed to believe that? They were Nohrian, they were probably lying.

“Hey!” That was a girl’s voice and it broke some of the tension. When Takumi turned, he was surprised to see his retainers with the girl. “Why are you fighting again? You said we would help people, not fight!” She pouted and put her hands to her hips but didn’t manage to look intimidating. 

“He started it!”

“I don’t care.” The girl kept pouting and glaring and Takumi was too confused to think about killing anyone. He cleared his throat.

“Who are you people?”

“Princess Elise of Nohr.” She put her chin up but still looked very young. Almost like his sister. Takumi quickly suppressed the thoughts of his siblings, they wouldn’t help him in this situation. “And this is my brother Leo and his retainers, Niles and Odin.” Elise was cheerful again, pointing to every person she introduced. 

“Alright. I’m Takumi of Hoshido and it seems like you’ve already met my retainers.”

“Yep.” Elise nodded, hopped over and gave her brother a hug. The tome didn’t seem to bother her but Leo seemed as if he wanted to get away because she was really ruining his dark image. “Hinata and Oboro are cool and want to come along, so you don’t have to fight.”

“Wait, come along.”

“Yes, my lord.” Oboro stepped forward. “We can’t keep going like this. We are going to need a bigger group if we want to survive and as much as I hate Nohrians, they are our best chance.”

Takumi sighed. “Fine”, he mumbled. “But as soon as you betray us, we leave.”

“Yay!” Elise cheered, hugged her brother again and started moving. He really hoped he wouldn’t regret this. 

~

The hidden country had turned out to be full of zombie-like creatures, neither dead nor alive but very eager to kill them. After two days here, Camilla was sure that the explosion had originated in this place, she just didn’t know any details. As she prepared to leave the old fortress they had secured, she saw Hinoka and Setsuna fighting some of the creatures in the nearby woods. Injuries didn’t seem to carry any infections, which was a good sign, but they hurt worse than anything she had endured in Nohr and they took too long to heal, even with potions and Azama’s healing powers. 

With the promise of Selena’s homecooked food, she finally left, feeling the breeze in her hair and the excitement of flight. Her siblings had chosen horses but she had fallen in love with the sky. She didn’t have a goal, was just scouting and looking for survivors. Since the way to Nohr was still full of creatures and they had yet to find out if their enemy could attack fliers, she decided to go to Hoshido again. 

Camilla hadn’t forgotten about the rivalry. She had simply decided that there were more important things, like survival. If she rescued anyone to join their party, it would be a win for them all. 

At first, she was alone. The continent hat never seemed so endless, so empty and barren but Camilla was not ready to give up. There had to be other survivors, they just had to find them. And finally, after hours of circling the skies, she found someone in trouble, readied her axe and ordered her Wyvern to dive.

As she got closer, she saw a young girl with a healer’s staff and a broken bow and cursed quietly. There was a swordfighter, too, but she was too far away to be able to help and she was busy with enemies of her own. The creatures had learned in the past few days, had grown stronger and more dangerous and she knew she had to be fast. There was already too much blood on the girl’s clothes.

The fight was short, hopefully short enough. The girl relied heavily on her staff, still trying to work healing magic. Camilla knew that her help made a difference, that the cuts on her arms didn’t bother her because this girl was helping. 

“Stay with me,” she told her as soon as she got off her wyvern, only to catch the collapsing girl. Camilla wanted to curse. 

“Hey, you, get away from her.”

She rolled her eyes. Were all Hoshidans this hostile? The swordfighter had gotten company from a Pegasus knight and both were glaring at her. 

“No,” she replied. “Unless any of you know how to use that staff.”

“Uh …” They exchanged a quick glance and then shook their heads. She sighed.

“Then follow me. If we don’t get her to healer, she won’t make the night.” She probably wouldn’t even make the day and Camilla lifted her onto her arms and then her wyvern, holding her tightly as she set off. She rustling of feathers followed as the swordfighter joined her companion on the pegasus to keep an eye on her. They would soon learn that she was their ally now. 

~

He had a headache and needed water when he woke up. Ryoma hadn’t felt this exhausted since he had first started training with Raijinto and even then, it had worn off quickly. This time, it was like he had been out for days. Sitting up proved to be difficult, his body refused to cooperate and all he managed was a groan. 

That was enough to alert his retainers. At least he supposed Kagerou and Saizo were there, he wasn’t able to see properly and his hearing was muffled, as if there was cloth covering his eyes. Ryoma was barely able to make out different voices, among them some he didn’t recognize. He was getting surer about his retainers, though, and that was a good sign. They would not leave him with the enemy. 

He tried again, took a deep breath and finally managed to sit, supported by a firm hand on his back. The air smelled like death and a campfire, there was breeze and his entire body hurt. 

“My lord?”

He blinked, slowly feeling his vision adjust. The sky was grey with clouds, no spark of blue of light and they were surrounded by dead trees. “Kagerou,” he managed to say before coughing. Had his throat ever been so dry? 

“Uh, I made some tea.” That was one of the strangers and Ryoma carefully turned his head, not wanting the fading pain to swell up again. “It’s better than water,” she continued and set down a tray.

“Thank you.” He didn’t know who she was or why she wore a maid’s uniform, but tea sounded like a great idea. Saizo and Kagerou didn’t protest, they just watched him carefully and took the first sip, glad that it wasn’t too hot. The next moment, he grimaced.

“My lord, are you okay?” That was Kagerou again, a dagger in one hand and ready to attack.

“Just … are you sure this is tea?”

“What?” The woman seemed confused and as he was becoming more aware of his surroundings, he realized there were more people in the background. Too many, that worsened his headache, but at least they all seemed to be friendly. “Of course it’s tea! It’s the best we have.”

“It’s … very different from the one I’m used to,” he tried to remain polite. Whatever there was in that cup, it tasted almost malty and he missed the bitterness of Green Tea. Now that he looked closer, the liquid looked almost black.

“Oh. I will just get some water.” She bowed hastily and certainly not in a Hoshidan way before disappearing again.

“So … what happened?” The tea, as bad as it was, had at least helped his throat. Now it was time to figure out the situation, his last memory was a magical blast and a wound from an axe.

“The entire world seems to look like this.” Kagero pointed to the trees and sighed. “They offered a healer and we needed one, so we teamed up with them. And … you should see who else is there.”

Ryoma frowned. Nohrian healing magic explained why he felt so terrible. He had never experienced it but he had read about it and apparently, the books had not exaggerated. He should probably feel lucky it wasn’t worse. “Who else?” He turned slightly, seeing that Saizo was ready to help him should that be necessary. 

The woman who had brought him tea was sitting by the fire again. There was another woman who looked like her, but with pink hair. There was a man who looked like a butler and some knight with an axe, so whoever else there was, they had to be important. Ryoma focused on the last two persons but he needed a moment to really see them.

Both had white hair and friendly smiles, though both seemed worried about something. There was something familiar about them but he only realized, what it was, when he saw the pointed ears and drew in a sharp breath. “Corrin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More people meeting each other, yay \o/


	6. Chapter 6

The magic had felt so familiar, Azura had been on edge the entire journey. She had been by the lake with her retainers when the outburst had struck, ruining Castle Shirasagi and causing them to flee, not knowing where anyone was. For days, it had just been the three of them and she was glad they both trusted her by now.

When they had first met, Yarne and Noire had been strangers to this land, quiet and not sure where they could belong. Azura had tried to give them as much of a home as she could and now they were her closest friends. 

“Watch out,” she heard Noire, the girl clutching her bow. Sometimes Azura wondered and worried about her past, Noire’s mood often changed too quickly for outsiders to understand. Yarne had said it wasn’t his story to tell, but Azura knew they both carried their insecurities. So did she. And now, so close to home, she shivered. “The … what the hell?”

“Patience.” Azura placed a hand on Noire’s shoulder, understanding the confusion. It was as she had feared, the bottomless canyon gone and replaced by a land she had never seen yet longed for. There was ruin everywhere, magic lurking and creatures prowling.

“Someone’s coming.” That was Yarne, his senses sharp as ever though even during the apocalypse, he hid his ears under a piece of cloth. Azura grasped her spear a little tighter. “Human.”

A single person, surviving on their own? Azura was curious and scared and desperately hoped it wouldn’t come to a fight against more than monsters. The man who emerged from between the rubble seemed vaguely familiar though she couldn’t place him. He was not a soldier, more like a thief with black and white hair. Most importantly, he raised his hands.

“Who are you?” she demanded to know, not lowering her guard. Yarne seemed on edge and Noire was dangerously close to one of her outbursts. 

“My name’s Shura,” he said, carefully watching them. She was sure he carried a lot of concealed weapons because otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to survive out here. “You seemed friendly enough to show myself.”

Azura chuckled. “We don’t intend to harm anyone,” she said, getting closer. There were gasps from her retainers but she felt like she somehow knew this Shura. “Forgive Yarne and Noire, they are a bit sensitive.” She wasn’t really better, her heart was beating too fast and she wasn’t sure if it was safe to talk about was might be going on. She wanted to, though. “I am Azura.”

Shura opened his mouth, stared at her and nodded slowly. “You’ve grown up,” he stated and she flinched back, immediately feeling sorry. “I apologize,” he said. “Years ago, Yukimura hired me to kidnap you from Nohr.”

“Oh, I see.” Azura calmed her breath and managed to smile again. “I don’t remember much about that time.”

“It’s fine, I’m not someone people want to remember.”

She bit her lip, unsure how to answer that. Shura was an outlaw, that much was obvious. He probably didn’t like company but she didn’t like the thought of leaving someone alone in this changed world. “You could come with us,” she offered. “This world … it’s only becoming more dangerous.”

“Lady Azura, do you know something?” That was Yarne again, close by her side and keeping an eye on the surroundings. 

“I’m afraid so.” She sighed, lowering her head. Was it already safe to take? Were they already in Valla? She drew in a deep breath and looked at her companions again. Noire had lowered her bow, Shura his hands. “We should set up camp for the night. Then I can tell you what I know.” 

~

Camilla sat on one the castle’s walls, watching monsters below while Beruka was on guard with her wyvern. Azama had been around when she had arrived and after his initial shock, he had taken the girl – Princess Sakura, Camilla had learned – to a quiet room to heal her. When Hinoka had returned, she had rushed to her sister’s side.

“You have to eat something,” Selena’s voice pulled her back to reality. Her retainer glared at her and Camilla sighed. She wasn’t hungry but Selena had cooked and she did not want to insult her darling retainer by refusing dinner.

“Fine,” she agreed, getting off the wall to follow Selena to the small campfire. They still hadn’t cleaned out enough rooms for everyone, so meals were held in the yard and the Nohrians, more accustomed to the cold, had offered to stay outside for the nights. Camilla sat down, accepting a bowl from Setsuna and eating without really tasting it. Sakura’s injuries had reminded her that her own siblings were possibly in danger and she had no idea where they were. 

“We’ll walk a few guard rounds,” Selena informed her and she simply nodded, staring into the flames and setting the bowl aside after finishing it. She had no idea what food it had contained. 

“Thank you.”

Camilla blinked as Hinoka sat down next to her, closer to the flames because the nightly chill was already creeping over the castle. “Is she up?”

“Not yet.” Hinoka smiled, grabbed her hand and squeezed it once before letting it go again. Camilla wished she could get a little closer, wished to distract herself. “But Azama said everything will be fine. Without you …” Hinoka stopped, swallowed hard and stared at her hands.

Carefully, Camilla placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t think about what could have been. She is safe, that’s what matters.”

Hinoka nodded, not moving for a while. “I used to hate all Nohrians, you know?”

“It was kind of obvious,” she chuckled, finally getting a small laugh out of Hinoka. 

“After your father took the twins …” Just as she wanted to withdraw, Hinoka covered her hand with her own. “All I wanted was revenge. I thought you were all terrible.”

“For a long time, I didn’t know they weren’t really our siblings,” Camilla admitted. “Father kept them hidden in a fortress in the north and we weren’t often allowed to visit. Xander knew and hadn’t been allowed to tell us.” She still remembered her brother’s face during their secret conversation, how he had explained everything because he had always trusted her.

“How are they?”

“Last time I saw them, they were doing well.” She smiled, gently squeezing Hinoka’s hand. “They are family, maybe not by blood but we all care deeply for them.” Camilla closed her eyes as she remembered Corryn with her magic and Corrin with his sword. “They’ll be eighteen soon. We hoped they would finally get to leave their fortress but now … I just hope they are fine.”

“We will find them.” Clothes rustled and when Camilla opened her eyes again, she saw Hinoka facing her, a smile on her lips. “We now know we aren’t the only survivors. I’m sure all of our siblings are out there. They have to be.”

~

They still hadn’t decided where to go. Niles was resting with his eye closed but he listened to every word and waited for instructions. Ever since Takumi and his retainers had joined their group, Leo had been annoyed. Niles wished the two princes would just resolve their tension by having sex but he knew how unlikely that was right now. They were still convinced they had nothing in common. 

“Why don’t we go north?” He opened his eye as Elise suddenly spoke up, curious what was going to happen now. She had often complained about being considered too young to go to important meetings. “Didn’t we want to check on Corrin?” 

Thankfully, Takumi didn’t start a new argument about how terrible Nohrians were. Niles knew that Corrin and Corryn were from Hoshido but he didn’t think Leo or Elise were aware. “It’s cold there,” the Hoshidan prince complained instead and Niles sighed.

“You’re wearing furs, how can you be cold?”

“My home’s climate is much better than yours, I …”

“Stop it!” Elise had put her hands to her hips and her pout turned into a smile when Xander stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. 

“Elise is right,” he said and Niles was sure Elise’s smile was bright enough to blind someone. “We will head north and see what the state of the fortress is. If it turns out to be uninhabitable, we will look elsewhere. Pack your things and make sure everyone carries enough weapons. I don’t want to be surprised by our foes.”

This was going to be so interesting. Nohrians and Hoshidans travelling together because the world was in ruin and no one seemed to know what to do. Niles would just make sure nothing got its claws too close to Leo.


	7. Chapter 7

The ruins they had found to offer their camp protection confirmed her theory. This was Valla, old and worn but undeniably beautiful. Azura settled on a boulder, lance close by and a cup of water in her hands. While the sun was setting, shadows fell over her companions and herself, building a stark contrast to the golden glow of the day’s last light. Azura took a breath, sipped at her water and cleared her throat. Singing was easier than telling a story.

“The Kingdom of Valla only existed beneath the Bottomless Canyon. Its existence was kept a secret and because of a curse, whoever spoke of it outside the borders would dissolve into water.”

“Who would place curse like that?”

“The country is ruled by an evil dragon called Anankos. There’s a song that has power over him, passed down over the generations.” She clutched her pendant, knowing how important it was. Her mother had given her life to tell the story. “If sung by vallite royalty, it can weaken him. He may be responsible for this outburst and destruction as well. If his action can cause the country to leave the Bottomless Canyon, what have they done to the rest of the world?”

“He’s not evil.”

Azura blinked, looking to Noire as her retainer mumbled those words. “I didn’t know you were familiar with the story.”

“I’m not.” Noire shook her head, smiling nervously and glancing over to Yarne who just shrugged. Azura’s curiosity grew but she didn’t want to force them to talk.”

“We came from another world,” Yarne sighed. “We were brought here to save this one, to stop Anankos from his own madness.”

“Oh?”

“He was the one who called us. And … three friends. We haven’t been told everything, but part of Anankos was still sane back then. He did not want to succumb to his instincts, to destruction and murder, so he created that song. Today … he said that his dragon self needed to be killed. That five divine weapons would have to be united by his children.”

“He has children?” It was the first time Shura spoke again and she had been wondering if he was really listening.

“His human form had children, yes.” Noire stared off into the distance. “Three of our friends were sent to Nohr to help them, we were told to find Azura.”

“Oh.” She put a hand to her pendant and Noire smiled. 

“He knows of your importance, Milady. You know the song. This world will need you.”

“And I need you.” Azura sighed, taking her retainer’s hands and briefly squeezing them before letting them go again. “We need to find more allies, we need to find his children and then we need to save this world.”

“Tomorrow.” Shura smiled. “I’ll take the first watch, you should get some sleep.”

~

He made his way through the forest of rotting trees, trying to keep in what little shadow there was left. Ahead was a cottage and the architectural style, Hoshidan with strong Nohrian influence, suggested they were nearing the boarder. Kaze glanced around, avoided one of the mutations and slid back into the shadows to get back to his group.

“We are close to Nohr,” he informed them. Reina and Rinkah were polishing their weapons and the grey dust on the ground, mingling with the mud, indicated they had just fought more monsters. “But there’s a cottage that seems to be abandoned. We should rest for the night and make our way to the Bottomless Canyon tomorrow.”

“Yes, we should. Thank you Kaze.” Queen Mikoto smiled at him, still carrying that damn sword that she had insisted on saving. It had almost cost her life because the palace had crumbled around them. Now, in the days of their travel, they had seen death and destruction and Mikoto had insisted that this sword was important. She always held it close and even Yukimura had stopped asking about it. Their queen had her secrets and they focused on survival first. 

~

The Northern Fort was abandoned and that put everyone in a bad mood. Peri, unable to sit still, volunteered to search the ruins for any signs of life or death and when no one else raised their hand, she sighed, gripped her spear and walked on. Small pebbles were crushed under her heels and bigger pieces of the wall sometimes blocked her way, motionless and dusty as if they had always been that way. Peri knew they hadn’t, she had accompanied Lord Xander to the fortress just months ago. 

She walked around, aimlessly poking at things with her spear, stopping when she reached what had once been the kitchen. Pieces of bread lay around, stale and untouched by rodents because they had all died in the outburst. It was a depressing sight, so quietly lifeless. Blood and pain she could handle, but not this emptiness. 

Peri kept walking, left the kitchen behind and found nothing but more dust and rubble. A few broken weapons or armour pieces were visible under stone, old decorations that used to create a pretty illusion for this place. She was about to give up and return to her companions when she heard something, like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings against her hands, like insects trying to escape from a glass prison. Peri froze and listened, followed the sound and was ever ready to attack. 

What she found was no monster, no insect or bird. No human, either, though the eyes were intelligent and the headband oddly charming. Peri crouched down as the thing blinked at her. “Hello!”

“Are you …” The words came out slowly, with a cough and a little blood and Peri frowned. So it could talk. She wasn’t sure what it was, it had four legs but a tail like a fish and a fin on its back. The colouring – blue and white and red – made it terribly cute and Peri decided to be nice.

“I have some water,” she said, reaching for the flask at her belt. “I would love to give you some pie but with all this magic, there’s soooo little food and all the basics are missing and we are constantly on the move.” She sighed, realizing she talked too much but didn’t really care. The strange thing drank the water she offered and seemed to smile.

“Thank you. I am Lilith.”

“Peri.” She cocked her head. “Are you all alone?”

“Yes, I … I think I was unconscious and the others couldn’t find me and must have assumed I had left on my own.”

“Aww, poor thing.” Peri petted Lilith’s head and put her flask back. “I have some friends, do you want to come along?”

“I would love to.” Lilith stood up and closed its – her? – eyes to take some deep breaths. “Give me a moment.” There was a light, pretty in its pale blue, and then Lilith was a human woman. Peri gasped. 

“Whoa,” was all she could say or do because she had really not expected this. There were cuts on Lilith’s skin, healing pretty fast, but there were other injuries, bigger ones. Peri knew what broken bones looked like and Lilith had a few of them. “You need to see a healer, come on.”

Back outside, her arrival interrupted any conversation and she saw Lilith’s shy smile, so she placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. “They don’t bite. Lady Elise, Lilith is injured.”

“Oh no.” Elise ran over, taking Lilith’s hand and fussing all over her, so Peri stepped back and just watched. 

“Was there anyone else?” 

She shook her head as Lord Xander approached her. “She said they must’ve left but she was unconscious.”

“She is lucky to have survived this long.”

Peri nodded. She wasn’t supposed to lie to him but was it a lie if she just didn’t mention Lilith’s other nature at all? Probably not. That was for the other girl to tell. “Have you discovered anything else out here?”

“Niles has found tracks, though they are old by now and we don’t know if we’ll be able to catch up. There was no indication of them being slowed down by injuries.”

“Huh, maybe they are still close and waiting for someone.”

“Let’s hope so.” Xander’s face was a stoic mask but she had been his retainer long enough to know how much he cared about all of his siblings. “We will make camp here for a while, there’s no use following their tracks once night falls over us.”

“Alright. I will get everything ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought about bringing in a Corrin-POV but maybe next chapter. Also, there are still characters unaccounted for and I'm sure I will forget some until the finale and then be like "Crap, can I still bring them in?" I do hope to include all Fates characters


	8. Chapter 8

As the days went by, they tried making their fortress a home. So much around here looked as if it has suddenly crashed from the air and they spent a lot of time cleaning out rubble. The stables were big enough for both Wyverns and Pegasi and the more they worked, the more space they made. By now, Camilla longed for a hot bath, preferably with company. Cold water was all they had, though, and that was just enough to stay clean. 

The greatest luxury they had was food. Selena was an amazing cook and they salvaged and hunted enough to make do. Camilla was glad things were starting to work out but she still worried for everyone out there. She wanted to find her siblings but she knew how important a base would be for that. 

As she settled down one evening, huddling close to the fire in the main hall and admiring the progress they had made. Sakura had found a few tapestries while searching the area with her retainers and they made the room a lot more cosy than Camilla could have imagined. 

“Is Hinoka still out?” she asked when she wasn’t able to spot the other princess. Sakura was trying to learn cooking from Selena while Azama worked with dried herbs, Beruka watched from the shadows and Subaki was on patrol with Hana and Setsuna. Only Hinoka was absent and now that she thought of it, she hadn’t seen Hinoka’s Pegasus in the stables. 

“Yes, she said she wanted to venture a little further.” Azama, now the ever smiling monk, had gotten used to Nohrian company and since he wasn’t worried about his lady, Camilla tried to relax as well. She had seen the monsters grow stronger, though, and she knew what dangers lurked in the darkness of the night. 

"Do we have to expect trouble?” 

Azama laughed quietly. “She does have a tendency for trouble but she can handle herself.” 

“Alright.” Camilla sighed, accepting a bowl from Selena and turning to her retainer. “Are you feeling well, dear?” 

Selena shrugged. “It just … reminds me of my past, that’s it.” 

“You know you can talk me, right? You’re worrying me.” 

“Forgive me, that was not what I planned.” 

“No, don’t beat yourself up.” Camilla smiled and took Selena’s hand before her retainer’s emotions could overwhelm her again. “Come, sit with me and take a moment to breathe. You’ve been working so much.” 

“I’m trying to distract myself,” Selena admitted, head hanging low. Camilla brushed a lose strand of hair behind her ear and said nothing, waited patiently because she knew Selena needed to speak out of her own will. “My home is different from this world,” she finally said and Camilla noticed how Beruka ushered the others out of the room. 

“Like the deeprealms?” 

“Not quite. It’s like … home had something similar and I think we crossed that and the deeprealms on our way here. But home was a world in itself and it was in ruin. An ancient dragon god had killed our parents, our friends … we were about to die when one of my friends found a way for us to travel back in time. We found something like happiness again. Our families, ourselves. When I came into your service, I never expected to see this world end, too.” 

“I am so sorry to hear that,” she said, pulling Selena into a tight embrace. Camilla knew Odin and Laslow were part of that group but she guessed there were more. “I promise, I won’t let you lose anyone else.” 

“But what if it’s already too late?” 

“Shh, don’t say that.” She kissed Selena’s hair. “I’m sure we’ll find everyone again.” There was so much more she wanted to say and ask but she was interrupted by Hinoka’s sudden return – and the company she had found. 

~ 

Azura had been so relieved when Shura had spotted a Pegasus in the skies. This was Valla, this was home but it was wrong and she longed for something familiar. Seeing Hinoka again had made her cry tears of joy and the hug had felt so right. Hinoka had told them about the fortress close by, about little Sakura and her retainers and the unexpected alliance with Princess Camilla, a sibling Azura barely remembered. 

Now that they were in the fortress, she felt safety again. Everything was in ruins but she saw the efforts being put into the restoration and it made her smile. In the hall, the centre of social life, it smelled like food and smoke. On the ground, she recognized the purple of Camilla’s hair and just as she wanted to go back and let the people have privacy, the other figure – who had been in Camilla’s hug – looked up and shrieked. 

“Noire!” 

She blinked and moved out of the way as her stunned retainer wordlessly accepted the bone-crushing hug that tackled her to the ground. Azura stared at them in confusion until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Only now did she realize the hall was fuller than before. 

“Azura?” 

She looked up into Camilla’s eyes, saw disbelief and love and nodded. 

“Oh, it’s so good to see you all grown up. I was so happy when Hinoka told me you had found a home in Hoshido.” 

“I … yes.” 

“I’m glad.” Camilla hugged her tightly and Azura smiled a little. “I often wondered if I should have ignored father’s orders and spent more time with you.” 

“Oh no, I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble,” she replied. “It all turned out alright, didn’t it?” 

“It did and it will.” Camilla turned a little and sighed. “Selena, dear, let go of the poor girl.” 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Selena, the red-head, helped Noire back to her feet and judging by everything Azura had learned about her retainers, she guessed Selena was someone from their past. Yarne, who now took off his hood, proofed that theory when he allowed Selena to hug him as well. The three of them surely had a lot to talk about, so she moved away to join Hinoka by the fire. 

“It’s nice to see more people around.” Camilla smiled and sat down with them, a little close to Hinoka, as Azura noticed. “With those monsters growing stronger, we need all we can get.” 

“We are willing to fight.” Azura hated fighting but she knew how necessary it was. If there was any chance to safe this world, she would take it. 

“I think we should travel north soon,” Hinoka suggested. “Maybe look for your siblings in Nohr?” 

Camilla’s face lit up and she hugged Hinoka tightly. “Thank you, dear.” 

Azura smiled. The bad part was far from over but it helped cross boarders and allowed new feelings to grow. She truly wished them happiness. 

~ 

In this new world, Corrin never stopped fighting. Xander had taught him and his sister but he had never felt ready to show his skill in an actual battle. These days, he had no choice and it was a welcome distraction from all his thoughts. 

Growing up, people had told him to hate Hoshido. Now he was suddenly born there, a member of their royal family. Corryn seemed to have an easier time accepting that but he felt like nothing was real anymore. So he fought and fought, killed monsters and protected his friends because that was something he could still do. He wasn’t ready to talk to Ryoma. 

“What’s upsetting you?” 

“Everything.” He sighed, knowing he could not hide anything from his twin. The sword felt heavy in his hand as he retreated a little to let others fight. Ryoma, now healed again, was probably a nightmare to fight against and that alone was reason enough to stay on his side. Then again, Xander was no better and if he were forced to make a choice, he wouldn’t know whose side to pick. 

“Don’t give me that frown.” Corryn smiled lightly, her own blade black from all the monster dust. “We live in confusing times and the rules of our childhood don’t apply anymore. We can find a new family and maybe even keep our old one. In this world, I don’t think anything’s impossible.” 

“If you put it like that … it’s just … why has everyone lied to us?” 

“Who knows what Garon had had in mind? Did our siblings even know? The thing is, I’m sure they all love us. Isn’t that what matters?” 

“I suppose it is.” As always, his sister was the voice of reason. She was better at tactics and strategies while he was better with a sword. And they both shared a secret love for terrible romance novels they never told anyone about. 

“See.” She slung an arm around his shoulders. “Let’s just keep fighting for a better future and for peace between the kingdoms. If we belong to both of them, why not use it for the best?” 

“Thanks,” he reülied quietly, taking a deep breath and readying his sword once more. “You’re right. I’m sure it will all turn out well in the end.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a lot of this in one go and then I was just ... stuck. There's a lot going on right now with me having to find a new job and the house undergoing some construction work and yeah. I'm glad I finally finished another chapter.

Hinoka had expected the monsters to grow and get stronger, to put up more fights and cause more damage. She had even expected more strange magic but not up to the point where it caused earthquakes. It woke her in the middle in the night and at first, she didn’t realize what it was. Panic shot through her body, instincts made her reach for a hold and for her weapon. 

She stumbled out of bed, clutching her naginata tightly and trying not to stumble as she made her way out into the yard. The few torches they had lit the hallways just enough to show new cracks and she was not going to have a building collapse on top of her. Hinoka tripped a few times but she managed to make it to the outside with nothing more than a deep shock and a racing heart. 

The silence that settled over the country was eerie and unsettling and Hinoka did not let go of her weapon. After what Azura had told them, who knew what dangers lurked in the darkness of the night?

“Are you alright, dear?”

She nodded and then suddenly stopped, unable to react to the fact that Camilla was standing right in front of her in nothing but very revealing underwear. Hinoka felt herself blush and she tried to maintain eye contact. “I’m fine,” she finally said, looking around to spot Sakura with her retainers. That was a relief – until Camilla pulled her into a tight hug und she forgot how to breathe. She wasn’t used to so much direct contact, especially from someone as gorgeous as Camilla. 

“I was worried.”

“I …” What was she supposed to say? Up until a short time ago, they had been enemies. Now she was pressed against Camilla and if this weren’t such a public space after such a shocking earthquake, she would have enjoyed it. “Is everyone fine?”

“Yes.” Camilla pulled back and somehow that was worse because the night was cold and now Hinoka had to force herself again to not stare too much. She settled for walking over to Sakura, who smiled gently at her, and watching everyone. Most of the others had slept in their clothes, like her. Beruka somehow wore her full armour and Hinoka could not imagine why she would sleep in it. Or maybe she had been on guard duty? She frowned, thinking for a moment. No, Subaki and Yarne had been on watch tonight. 

Hinoka sighed, slowly calming down. It had been magic, alright. No immediate threat seemed to be out there and none of their group were injured but what about those still out there? Ryoma, mother, Camilla’s siblings? Hinoka closed her eyes, searching the sky for signs of dawn but she didn’t even spot stars. 

“Well, well, I suppose we can retire again.”

“Yes, we …” Hinoka froze as she looked at her retainer. “Azama, are you naked under there?”

His grin did not fade as he touched the hem of his tunic and Hinoka immediately regretted asking. She should’ve ignored it. “Yes, of course. I didn’t have time to get fully dressed.”

“I just … forget it.” She shook her head, instead glancing over to Camilla again. Another mistake, Hinoka wanted to curse herself. She was not interested in seeing too much of her retainer but she was very interested in watching Camilla and her bare skin. The torches offered just enough light to leave nothing to the imagination and Hinoka was sure this sight would follow her into her dreams. Since when was she so easily distracted? “Let’s get back to bed, the building’s still standing and we have a long day ahead of us.”

~

The earthquake woke him up during a patrol mission. They had found more traces of different groups and Niles, along with Odin, was scouting ahead to make sure they wouldn’t run into trouble with potentially aggressive survivors. 

Niles had his weapon ready before he was fully awake and though he was accustomed to darkness, he could not see a thing. 

“What vile presence dares …”

“Shut up,” he hissed before Odin could make a speech of it and attract monsters to their positions. “It was an earthquake.”

“It was magic,” Odin corrected and Niles sighed. Yeah, it was magic, he knew that much. He had felt the waves rolling over him, similar to Nohrian magic but also entirely different and unpleasant. 

“An aftershock?”

“A likely possibility. We shall…”

“You should make some light. You have a fire tome, don’t you?”

Odin mumbled something, probably about Niles not appreciating him, but he didn’t protest. He had been a lot easier to handle since the initial shockwave and Niles wasn’t sure if he missed the old dramatics or not. Soon enough, small flames lit up the clearing on which they had camped, the stone walls of the old hunter’s hut and the nearby forest. It reflected in the eyes of something that was gone too quickly to determine its nature and it kept away the shadows.

“Do you think it was everywhere?”

“Probably.” He didn’t want to think about it, about what might have happened to Lord Leo or his siblings. Leo was his top priority, though, he shouldn’t have abandoned him. But there was no going back now. “We might as well keep moving.”

He shouldered his backpack and set off, trusting Odin to follow him. Sure enough, his not so stealthy partner rustled through leaves and twigs, cursing every now and then and making more noise than an entire army would. How they were supposed to watch potential enemies was a question for another day.

They stumbled over the first crack at dawn. To be precise, Niles stumbled and Odin helped him back up, back to his feet. Maybe it wasn’t too bad to have him tagging along. “Thanks,” he mumbled, inspecting the crack. It wasn’t too wide but it was deep and pitch black, much like he had always imagined the bottomless canyon to be. 

“What foul magic is at work among these ancient lands?”

And there were the dramatics again. Niles sighed but he could not deny that he had been asking himself that same question, just phrased differently. “Wish I knew. Come one, let’s take a better look around. Maybe other groups got scattered during the earthquake.”

~

The Gods and Spirits were surely mocking her. In no divination or horoscope had she seen this possibility of a future, yet it was reality and had been for several days now. Maybe even weeks. Orochi had lost track of time as this grim present unfolded further with each passing day. She wished to be home, in Kagero’s arms or at least close to Lady Mikoto and her duties. Instead, she was wandering the mountains with two mages who claimed to be older than they looked.

First, there was Hayato. She had met him just after the explosion, a kid from the Wind Tribe village whose magic was much like her own. She liked him, it was just very unsettling to hear him speak like an adult when he looked to be Princess Sakura’s age. Secondly, there was Nyx. A mage from Nohr of all places who Orochi had gotten into a heated argument with.

Neither of them was responsible for the state of the world and though they had needed some time to figure each other out, they made quite good team. None of the monsters stood a chance against their combined magical strength. 

This particular morning, they were out early. An earthquake had shattered the area and their little hideout and with no other plans in mind, they had set out. A few days ago, Nyx had spotted smoke on the horizon, too little for the source to be more than a campfire. Which meant that there were other people and they just had to find them, reunite with old friends and foes and forge some new alliances. The future was steadily shifting but Orochi knew she would see her loved ones again. 

She had only excused herself briefly to divine during the sunrise. It had been beautiful, truly, enough to renew her hope and energy. Hayato had found them a small breakfast and Nyx, ever mysteriously ageless, had made a fire for them to cook something. Orochi knew that this day held a special surprise for them and she couldn’t wait to find out the details. 

~

Corryn had just started getting used to this new company and then it was being split up again. It was like a bad joke on a worldwide level and she was glad at least some people had managed to stay close to her. Gunter was there as well as Kagero and Ryoma. She liked their company, she just would’ve preferred knowing where they were or if her brother was safe. He had to be. 

“Are you alright?”

She nodded, leaning heavily against a tree. It had once been impressive, she supposed. Now it was withering and the wood creaked even under her weight. “It’s just so much.”

“I know.” Ryoma placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly. This was still new but it was comforting and she wished for more family. One could never have too many siblings, right? Blood related or not, they had to be out there and she wanted to be with them all. “We will make it through this. According to Kagero, we’re closer to Nohr’s villages than to Hoshido’s, so maybe we should see if we can find anyone else. Or regroup with the others.”

“That would be good.” She smiled at him, thankful that he was as much of a big brother as Xander. “Though I’m not sure I want to head back to the fortress,” she added, quietly. He shot her a curious look but didn’t pry and she wasn’t ready to talk about it. The memories of her childhood were hazy at best but sometimes she remembered small bits of pain and joy alike. There was a lot to figure out. “Let’s go,” Corryn said, taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders. “I have a good feeling about this direction.”


End file.
